RUTHFULLY YOURS

The Swords of Iron war has extracted a terrible price in Israelis dead and wounded,mostly on the day of Hamas’ surprise attack on southern Israel. But it accomplished what was not possible in any other way.

Until Hamas’s declaration of war, most people, including many Israelis, believed that PLO and Hamas terrorists could be bought off with economic, diplomatic, and territorial incentives, concessions and rewards. The world poured $billions into their coffers, no questions asked, despite constant terrorist attacks. Except for Arab and Muslim countries which support them (e.g. Iran, Qatar, Malaysia, Pakistan, etc), that delusional thinking has not stopped, but the world understands what Hamas is.

Until the war, many people believed that Palestinian Arabs were entitled to a state by international humanitarian laws, such as the right of self-determination, and promoted as “the two-state solution” (2SS). This was the basis of the Oslo Accords, the creation of the Palestinian Authority, and it became enshrined as a moral principle, regardless of the leadership and purpose of such a state.

Then-Israeli PM Ehud Barak used it to offer Yasser Arafat a state; then-PM Ariel Sharon used it to justify the expulsion of Jews from the Gaza Strip (the “Disengagement”); and then-PM Ehud Olmert used it to make even more generous offers to Mahmoud Abbas. They were rejected, as usual, since it required accepting Israel’s right to exist. Nevertheless, until the war, the 2SS was supported by the international community, the media, and many Israeli leaders.

That is no longer the case. No one who cares about Israel is talking about the 2SS.

Although Saudi Arabia insisted on including the 2SS as part of “normalization,” that is no longer relevant. And, although the Middle Eastern kingdom did not condemn Hamas or their war, it may be willing to take a more realistic position regarding Palestinian Arab demands for concessions and a state.

The war exposed who the PLO, Hamas and Islamic Jihadists really are, who supports them, and what they want. It exposed their long-term genocidal agenda to destroy Israel. The war prevented their expansion in Judea, Samaria, and Jerusalem. Now they must be eliminated.

The war exposed the danger of Iran’s involvement, including the threat from Iran’s proxy, Hezbollah, with 150,000 missiles aimed at Israel. That existential threat must also be eliminated – now.

The war exposed the failure of Israeli political, military and strategic leaders to understand the danger of the PLO, Hamas, and Jihadist groups. Hopefully, they have learned a painful lesson.

The UN Security Council’s refusal to condemn Hamas “speaks louder than words.” Israel’s struggle against Palestinian Arab terrorism doesn’t matter to them. That is not just immoral; it is evil.

Hamas’s call for Arabs and Muslims to support them is intended to ignite a much wider conflict, perhaps even a world war. What do Muslims and Islamic leaders say?

Muslims claim to be monotheists who believe in God, while murdering and committing atrocities. They claim to be victims of “Islamophobia,” discrimination and persecution – but, unlike all other “religions,” most Muslims, including the Muslim Brotherhood (with which most Israeli Arabs are affiliated), the Arab League and other organizations, support Hamas and the PLO.

The war emphasized the critical necessity of establishing Israeli sovereignty over the Jordan Valley, and all areas in Judea and Samaria where Jews live. There should be no ambiguity about what are Israel’s vital national and humanitarian interests.

And, finally, the war motivated most Israeli opposition leaders to join a national unity government, which (hopefully) will end the protest movement against the government and judicial reforms, and rebuild our country. Our survival depends on it.